Patricia Polacco Born in Lansing, Michigan in July

Her life  Lived in Williamston, Michigan until her parents got divorced when she was 3.  As a child she was shy, and spent a lot of her time in her imagination because is were she felt safe and good.

 She learned to read at age 14, also she was diagnosed with dyslexia.  She has studied in the United States and Australia, and she has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Fine Art and a PhD in Art History.  She is a mother of two children.

Career  She started writing books when she was 41 years old, she is also the illustrator.  Some of her books have been translated into Spanish for example Chicken Sunday, Pink and Say, The Keeping Quilt.

 Polacco directs many of her books to primary grade audience.  Several of her books are retellings of family stories.  She uses fantasy and folklore as a point for her stories, she also mixes fantasy and realism in several of her works.

Her Inspiration  The relationship with her grandparents influenced her life and work.  She is well known for celebrating different cultures and ethnic backgrounds in her books.  She lived in Union City Michigan, then she went to New York and Oakland California.

 Patricia is currently working at events like writing seminars, story telling festivals, literature conferences and various events that celebrate children's literature.